Ex-TSU President Slade avoids prison with plea deal

Published 5:30 am, Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Photo: Julio Cortez, Chronicle

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Attorney Mike DeGeurin and his client, former TSU President Priscilla Slade, smile after they struck an agreement with Harris County prosecutors Wednesday afternoon. Slade agreed to repay $127,672.18 in a plea deal that lets her avoid prison. less

Attorney Mike DeGeurin and his client, former TSU President Priscilla Slade, smile after they struck an agreement with Harris County prosecutors Wednesday afternoon. Slade agreed to repay $127,672.18 in a plea ... more

Photo: Julio Cortez, Chronicle

Ex-TSU President Slade avoids prison with plea deal

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Ousted TSU President Priscilla Slade agreed this afternoon to repay the historically black university $127,672.18 in a plea deal that lets her avoid prison.

In addition to repaying the money, Slade will also be given 10 years of deferred adjudication in exchange for the "no contest" plea. That means the finding of guilt will not be on her record if she completes probation. If she violates probation, the conviction would be put on her record and she could be sentenced to up to life in prison. She must also perform 400 hours of community service.

Prosecutors also insisted that Slade read the following statement, which she did in open court before state District Judge Brock Thomas:

"I accept responsibility as the president of Texas Southern University with regard to the expenditures described in the indictment as misapplications and not ensuring that Texas Southern University policies were followed. If I had the opportunity to do things differently, I would do so. My thoughts and prayers are with the Texas Southern University family to whom I apologize."

It was not immediately clear how the two sides arrived at the $127,672.18 figure. Slade's attorney, Mike DeGeurin, said the figure mostly represents TSU money that Slade spent fixing up her Missouri City home just before selling it.

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The move comes more than five months after Slade's first trial, in which she was accused of spending more than $500,000 of the financially strapped school's money on personal expenses, including bar tabs and furniture. Texas Southern University regents fired Slade because of her spending habits in June 2006.

The eight-week trial ended in a mistrial when jurors deadlocked after deliberating for five days about whether the spending amounted to criminal behavior.

Slade was charged with misapplication of fiduciary property of more than $200,000, a first-degree felony that could have landed her in prison for life.

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Prosecutors vowed to continue their efforts and had moved to force testimony from Slade's codefendants who didn't testify in the first trial.

The second trial was expected to be shorter, punctuated with testimony from Slade's Chief Financial Officer Quintin Wiggins and Bruce Wilson, TSU's former vice president of purchasing.

The two were ordered to testify, but would have had limited immunity — keeping prosecutors from using their words against them.

Wiggins was convicted last May of helping Slade use money for personal expenses. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Wilson's trial is pending.

Sanders Anderson, chairman of TSU's faculty senate during Slade's last years as president, said the plea deal is a fair one.

"It's appropriate. I didn't see any point in sending her to jail for the time they were talking about. Paying back the university and the deferred adjudication is important," he said. "What she has gone through is sufficient as a penalty. She lost her position and hurt her reputation. I wouldn't see any plesure in her donning a jumpsuit and going to jail."

The spending scandal came to light in early 2006 when Belinda Griffin, a TSU regent at the time, visited Slade's new Memorial Park-area home and complimented her on the furnishings. Griffin was surprised when Slade informed her that the university had paid for much of the furniture.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry eventually replaced Griffin and the rest of the nine-member governing board because of the problems that were exposed during their watch.

Griffin said today the plea gives TSU a chance to put the scandal in the past.

"It's time for the university, the community and the new administration to focus on the best interests of the students at TSU," she said. "I'm, for one, just glad this is behind us."

Glenn Lewis, the new chairman of the Board or Regents, said he's glad the case is finished.

"I'm pleased that there won't be another trial," he said. "And I can't be unhappy about $127,000 in restitution. The university needs the money."